Alumni 09-10

2009-2010 LL.M. Student Profiles and Statistics

Class of 2010, Concord MA (September 3, 2009)

The students who constitute the LL.M. class at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy are spirited and driven, possess impressive academic credentials, diverse life and work experience, and exhibit a deep engagement with international law. They enrich, and are enriched by, the Fletcher School.

2009-2010 Class Profiles

VICKI ASSEVERO

Languages Spoken: English, French, Spanish

Vicki Assevero received her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Yale University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. Her domestic and international experience in both for-profit and non-profit sectors spans the globe and includes France, the Ivory Coast, Trinidad & Tobago, and New York City. Her extensive legal experience includes working for democratization in West Africa, establishing arts and cultural organizations in Trinidad as founder and president of Kiskadee in Port-of-Spain, and drafting legislation for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration as a Senior Policy Analyst. She was a partner at Dally, Neill & Company and Holland & Knight, both in Washington D.C., Executive Director of GlobalVision, and Director of the Millennium Development Goals Alliance at Millennium Promise in New York, where she initiated alliances of American-based NGOs to align field activities with governmental development goals for the new millennium.

ADAM BERKOWITZ

Languages Spoken: English, French, Spanish

Adam Berkowitz received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Tufts University, completed a certificate program in International Arbitration and Comparative Civil Procedure in Rio de Janeiro through the Loyola University Law School, and obtained his J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School. He has worked with the Oregon Water Trust, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office in Portland, and the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals, and has engaged in several entrepreneurial enterprises, including forming Sharkfinn LLC, a specialty clothing company. Most recently Adam has divided his time between Buenos Aires and Portland practicing general and international commercial law. Following Fletcher, Mr. Berkowitz intends to work in Latin America in the field of commercial law.

ABHISHEK BHARTI

Languages Spoken: English, French, Hindi

Abhishek Bharti received his Bachelor of Arts and Law from the National Law School of India University in Bangalore. He has spent the last three years working as Compliance Officer and Assistant Manager of Legal and Regulatory Affairs for Glaxo SmithKline Consumer Health Care Ltd., where he has been responsible for all pan-Indian statutory requirements and has won several work-related awards. Mr. Bharti was a judicial clerk to Justice Arijit Parayat of the Supreme Court of India, and has published articles on tax and labor issues. Mr. Bharti wishes to work in the field of corporate governance and regulatory affairs.

JUSTIN CHINYANTA

Languages Spoken: English, French, Swahili

Justin Chinyanta received his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Zambia and his certification to practice law from the Law Practice Institute in Zambia. In addition to his legal education, he has extensive training and over twenty-five years in financial management roles including serving as Vice President of Citibank in South Africa, Vice President of HSBC Equator Bank and most recently as co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Loita Holdings Corporation since 1994. This past year he has served as a fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard. He has served on the boards of numerous privately-held corporation in Malawi, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia. Mr. Chinyanta serves on the expert roster of the UN Institute for Training and Research for the Debt, Financial Management and Negotiation Program, and intends to return to Zambia to contribute to his home country’s political and economic development.

Vittorio Cremonini

Languages spoken: English, French, Spanish, Italian

Vittorio Cremonini holds a J.D. Degree from the University of Bologna School of Law, Italy. He subsequently worked as a Law Clerk with the Italian Government Legal Office and was admitted to the Italian Bar. While in Rome, Mr. Cremonini deepened his legal knowledge at the School of Advanced Studies in International Relations where he completed a certificate program in “International Protection of Human Rights”. He also received a Certificate in “International and Comparative Law” from the R. Schuman School of Law of Strasbourg, France.

While at the Fletcher School Mr. Cremonini has focused his legal studies on International Security, Anti-terrorism and Terrorism Financing Legislation, Transnational Crime, International Humanitarian Law and the Rule of Law. He wrote his LL.M. thesis on “The criminalization of the conduct of terrorism financing in the aftermath of 9/11: material support to proscribed terrorist groups”.

His extensive legal experience includes working on the Visa Waiver Program’s negotiations with the Italian Embassy Legal Office in Washington, providing legal consultancy to the Organization of the American States Department of International Law, and developing two projects on the legal limits of conducting political negotiations with the Talibans for the Center on Global Cooperation on Counterterrorism.

BART SMIT DUIJZENTKUNST

Languages Spoken: Dutch, English, French, German

Bart Smit Duijzentkunst completed both a Bachelor of Laws and a Masters of Laws in International Law at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, where he won numerous student awards, and has studied international law at the University of Cambridge as an Erasmus exchange student. Mr. Smit Duijzentkunst has focused his legal study on legal theory, public international law, and conflict studies and coauthored two award-winning Jessup Moot Court Competition memorials. He worked in the international arbitration section of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Amsterdam and Paris), and since February 2009 has been employed at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Mr. Smit Duijzenkunst was awarded a Fulbright fellowship to study at Fletcher, and is interested in the international rule of law and hopes to continue working for international organizations following his graduation.

HEND ABDEL GHANY

Languages Spoken: Arabic, English, German

Hend Samir Abdel Ghany received her Bachelor of Law from Cairo University and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the American University in Cairo. During her studies she acted as an Advocate and co-authored a memorial on behalf of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, was active in the Cairo International Model United Nations, and has acted as an Advocates’ Coach for the Arab court of Justice. After receiving a certificate in German and European Law from Ludwig Maximilians Universitat Munich she has worked in Cairo as a Junior Associate at Sarwat Abdel Shahid and most recently as an Attorney-at-Law for Mena Associates where she practices civil, commercial and corporate law. Coming from a region where “both the application and the violation of international law are manifested in daily events”, Ms. Abdel Ghany intends to pursue a career as a legal advisor to international organizations and governments.

TANYA HENDERSON

Languages Spoken: English, French

Tanya Henderson received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Boston and her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, and has earned several certificates in mediation and conflict negotiation. Since receiving her J.D., Tanya has experience in civil rights and child welfare law, and has been actively involved in community relations and education advocacy with Soka Gakkai International, a Buddhist association for peace, culture and education; and several other non-profit organizations. She founded her own law practice in Burlington, MA in 2002, specializing in child advocacy and juvenile law, and has worked as a court-appointed child welfare attorney in the Cambridge and Boston Juvenile Courts. Ms. Henderson spent this summer in Ethiopia as part of a research team run in conjunction with the Harvard Medical School, tasked with researching and drafting policy related to gender inequality, poverty and mental health law, and has recently completed course work at the Harvard Extension School on global gender issues.

MARCIA KAMMITSI

Languages Spoken: English, French, Greek, Spanish, Nepalese; Turkish

Marcia Kammitsi received her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Bristol and her Master of Arts in International Politics from the Centre Europeen de recherches internationals et strategiques (CERIS) in Brussels; she also obtained a certificate in French language from La Sorbonne. Ms. Kammitsi currently works as Project Manager for Future Worlds Center in Cyprus, an NGO where she coordinates a European Commission-funded project focusing on youth activities between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth. From 2006-2008, she was Third Secretary and Project Manager to the Delegation of the European Commission to Nepal, and has also worked as a Junior Political Advisor to the European Parliament where focused on issues related to agriculture policy, rural development, and political and economic issues. Ms. Kammitsi wishes to continue working as an advocate on international law issues related specifically to Cyprus and more generally on social inclusion of marginalized groups.

KIOKO KAMULA

Languages Spoken: English; Kiswahili

Kioko Kamula completed his legal education at the University of Nairobi, and obtained an LL.M. degree in international criminal law from the University of Teramo, Italy, a graduate diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law, and a graduate certificate in criminal investigation from the Institute for International Criminal Investigations in The Hague. Since 2004 he has worked in Tanzania at the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (UNCTR) as an Evidence Analyst. Prior to that, Mr. Kamula practiced at Musyoka and Wambua Advocates in Nairobi for three years, and founded his own firm in Nairobi in 1997. Mr. Kamula wishes to work for an international organization following completion of the Fletcher LL.M. program.

SILVA KANTAREVA

Languages Spoken: Armenian; Bulgarian, English, Russian, German

Silva Kantareva received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Union College in New York where she was class Salutatorian, and her Master of Arts in International Economics/ Relations from Yale University where she was Business Manager of the Yale Journal of International Studies and a Teaching Fellow in International Studies, and had completed studies in Political Psychology at Stanford University. Since receiving her Master’s degree Silva has been employed as an Associate Political Affairs Officer for the U.N., working with the Security Council Practices and Charter Research Branch of the Security Council Affairs Division, Department of Political Affairs. At Fletcher, she hopes to “research the relationship between regional organizations and the system of collective security mandated by international law and explore the emergence of regional security compacts and provide an in-depth study of their development and adoption from a legal perspective”, with an aim towards addressing the potential viability of a regional organization for the Balkans.

JAMES MOLLER

Languages Spoken: English, French, Spanish

James Moller received his B.A. in Political Science from Stanford University and his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law, and is a certified mediator trained through Mediation Works, Inc. His legal career spans more than twenty years, and includes ten years as an attorney in private appellate practice in Portland, as well as five years as a Board Member with the Oregon Worker’s Compensation Board (OWCB). Prior to that, Mr. Moller was an Appellate Attorney/Special Assistant Attorney General at the State Accident Insurance Corporation for three years, and Staff Attorney (later Senior Staff Attorney) to the OWCB. He hopes to pursue a legal position with the U.S. State Department or the United Nations Office of the Legal Counsel following his graduation from Fletcher.

ALFRED NURJA

Languages Spoken: Albanian, English, Italian

Alfred Nurja received his degree in law from the Tirana State University in Albania.

University of Tirana Faculty of Law in Albania. Mr. Nurja has worked as a U.S. Army Linguist to the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Albania during the Kosovo conflict; as Field Manager for the Elim Aid Organization, tasked with assisting aid operations in Kosovo; and as Inspector/Officer for the Organized Crime Intelligence Department. Since 2003 he has served as Political Assistant and Interpreter for the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, working directly with senior staff and the U.S. Ambassador. He has received several awards for service from the State Department, including the Meritorious Honor Award and the Franklin Award. Mr. Nurja intends to work towards the reformation and strengthening of Albania’s security and diplomatic institutions.

FILIPPO RAVALICO

Languages Spoken: English, French, Italian, Spanish

Since receiving his Bachelor of Laws from Universita delgi Studi di Milano, Mr. Ravalico has practiced securities law for both private law firms and government agencies in Italy. After completing three years as a trainee at Studio Legale Galbiati, Sacchi e associates in Milan, Filippo was awarded a research grant with the Italian Securities and Exchange Commission (CONSOB) He has spent the last five years at Lovells International in Rome as a Senior Associate, coordinating Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS III) and Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) domestic and cross-border projects. He has assisted a wide range of banks, investment firms and managers on compliance issues, including payments and electronic money transfers, derivative transactions, clearing and settlement systems, and Prospectus, Transparency and Market Abuse European Union Directives.

SARAH RILEY

Languages Spoken: English, French

Sarah Riley received her B.A. with honors in International Relations from Brown University and her J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law where she was Executive Articles Editor for the Duquesne law Review, and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Following law school, Ms. Riley served as a judicial clerk for two years to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania to the Honorable Dan Pellegrini at the appellate level. Prior to that, she was a Special Master to Thorp Reed & Armstrong and Manion McDonough & Lucas in Pittsburgh. Ultimately, Ms. Riley plans to work in the area of public policy.

ADITI SACHDEVA

Languages Spoken: English, French, Hindi

Aditi Sachdeva received her Bachelor of Art and Law from the National Law Institute Univeristy in Bhopal, India. During her internships she has been exposed to rights advocacy; specifically in human right, custodial rights, women’s issues, and minority rights. More recently she has gained advocacy experience in commercial, corporate and labor law. In addition to her legal experience, Ms. Aditi has worked as a legal journalist for The Edict, India’s first inter-law school, student-run, interdisciplinary magazine. She says that through her journalism work she has “realized that participatory democracy is meaningless unless important issues having micro and macro effects are examined and presented in such a manner that the common person is able to understand their implications.” Ms. Sachdeva hopes to use her Fletcher degree to continue her work in legal journalism related to international issues.

SUREN SARGSYAN

Languages Spoken: Armenian, English, Russian

Suren Sargsyan received his Diploma in Constitutional Law from the Yerevan State University and his Master of Science in Law from the American University of Armenia. Suren worked for several years for non-profit legal agencies including as Legal Advisor to the Social Center for Legal Aid and as Project Coordinator for the Media Law Institute. From 2003 to 2004 he was employed as an attorney with the Ministry of Finance and from 2005 to 2008 worked as Senior Expert in the Office of State Legal Issues. Since 2008 he has been Aide to the Assistant of the President of Armenia and Senior Expert to the Office of Legal Department Administration. He has worked on a number of independent commissions concerned with corruption, electoral violations, parole of convicts and penalty commutation.

DAISUKE TAKAHASHI

Languages Spoken: Chinese, English, French, Japanese

Daisuke Takahashi received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Waseda University and completed his legal training at the Legal Training and Research Institute in Tokyo. Since completing his training, Daisuke has practiced law for Shinwa Sohgoh Law Offices where he has gained experience working in corporate law, finance law, reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust law, environmental law, and litigation. Mr. Takahashi received his LL.M. from the European Masters in Law and Economics (EMLE) this past May, sponsored by the European Commission, studying in Hamburg and Bologna, and was pleased to have the opportunity to meet the Class of 2009 at the Talloires Capstone. After Fletcher he plans to practice law internationally, particularly in the fields of antitrust, corporate finance, and environmental regulation before returning to Japan.

JUAN C. ESTRADA

Languages Spoken: English, Spanish

After receiving his law degree from the Universidad Iberoamericana School of Law, Juan C. Estrada served as a law clerk for Chevez, Ruiz, Zamarripa Y Cia. in Mexico City, where he began his career in administrative and international business law. Since 2001 he has worked in a number of areas including immigration, public and corporate law, working for such companies as Baker & McKenzie and Villa Victoria Ltd. (as corporate legal counsel). From April 2006 to October 2008 Mr. Estrada worked as a lawyer at the Legal Department of the National Council of the Retirement Savings System (CONSAR), and was in charge of regulating and supervising the Retirement Fund Administrators for the country’s public pension plan. Since October 2008 he has been resident legal counsel at Grupo Puerto Costa Maya, in Cancun, where he specializes in property, finance and corporate law.

CAMILO MANTILLA VILLA

Languages Spoken: English, Spanish

Camilo Mantilla Villa received his law degree from the Universidad de Los Andes Law Faculty in Bogota and a certificate in finance from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. After completing his legal training Camilo gained experience in commercial, civil, procedural and administrative law at Cardozo Coral y Asociados. Over the past three years he has worked for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as an Agreement Officer and a Reporting and Project Development officer where he has worked on a range of migration, humanitarian and development projects. At Fletcher Camilo plans to “strengthen my executive and management abilities to make personal contributions to the people, countries and activities that benefit from my future work.”

JEFFREY SMITH

Languages Spoken: English, French, Portuguese

Jeffrey Smith earned his Bachelor of Science in Physics and Oceanography from the Royal Roads Military College in Canada and his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Victoria. In addition to his ten years of service in the Canadian Navy, he spent over seven years in private practice specializing in administrative, international trade and maritime law. From 1999-2004 Mr. Smith served as Counsel to the United Nations in East Timor for law of the sea matters and treaty negotiations, including the 2003 Timor Sea Treaty, and International Law counsel to the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic. Since 2005 Mr. Smith has been Director of Fleet Planning & Projects for B.C. Ferry Services Inc. and is the Chair for the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineering. He has earned numerous academic and professional awards, and has published numerous articles related to maritime law and post-conflict legal reconstruction.

DAMIR VALEEV

Languages Spoken: English; Russian; Spanish; Uzbek

Mr. Valeev received a Bachelor of Sports (Tennis) from the Tashkent State Institute of Sports, and a Bachelor of Law, Master’s and Doctorate in Private Law from the Tashkent State Institute of Law in Uzbekistan. He teaches at the Westminster International University in Tashkent in the areas of corporate law and corporate governance, and was a visiting lecturer at the Center for Corporate Governance at the Academy of State and Social Construction. He served as Legal Affairs Manager of the Uzbek National Team at the 2008 Olympics and has presented and done research for conferences run by NATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other agencies. Since 2005 he has provided legal representation and consulting services for domestic and international clients. He is the recipient of a Muskie Fellowship from the U.S. State Department to study at the Fletcher School.